Wallpaper that is fit for more than a few lifetimes
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A spectacular Chinese artwork covering an entire room is undergoing restoration as one of the centrepieces of renovation in one of Ireland’s most historic ancient houses.
The site of Westport House in County Mayo boasts a history dating to the 1500s, having been the home of the legendary Irish pirate Grace O’Malley, who led rebellions against the English and was once regarded as the embodiment of the spirit of Irish independence.
The current house, whose founders were related to O’Malley by marriage, was built in 1730. After centuries as the seat of the Browne family, it has been owned since January 2017 by local businessmen the Hughes brothers, whose family firm Portwest sells outdoor clothing and work safety wear in more than 130 countries.
Last year they secured a government grant towards a restoration plan to make the house and its gardens a tourist attraction at the heart of the local community.
One of Westport House’s most famous features is the Chinese room, with 200-year-old hand-painted wallpaper covering the entire room as one continuous piece of art. As part of the restoration, the paper has been taken down to undergo treatment to return it to its full glory.
“The restoration is a big project but it’ll be worth it because the paper is incredible,” says the house’s chief guide, Kathryn Connolly. “First we’re making the whole house watertight, then there’s lots to do because of the damp and water ingress.
“There were holes in the stonework big enough to put your hand in, so in April 2021 conservator David Skinner and his team spent a week taking down the paper. It’s in storage upstairs, laid flat, on breathable material to let air run through it and dry it, and to prevent it getting mouldy.”
Skinner, who is overseeing the paper restoration, says the way Chinese wallpaper is made ensured it had lasted well.
“Western paper is usually made out of linen and cotton fibres but Chinese paper is made from tree bark fibres, certain varieties of mulberry, and is in many ways better. It comprises a very thin top layer, almost like cigarette paper, with the design painted on it, then two more coarse layers behind it, which made it strong and easy to handle and apply to the walls.”
The contrast between repeated-pattern Western wallpaper and the hand-painted Chinese artwork would have been startling to 19th-century European eyes, he says, and the robustness of the paper ensured its colours are still vivid.
“There wasn’t a sudden calamitous event that spoiled the paper; it was just time taking its toll.”
Once removed, the paper undergoes a carefully controlled washing before the old backing papers are removed and, once dry, replaced. There is one section over the fireplace where the design has faded, but Skinner says it would be wrong to try to fill in any gaps.
“That area will go through the same relining process but it will be left rather washed-out looking, not reconstructed,” he says, adding that it would be fascinating to have a Chinese social historian view the finished restoration to explain the significance of its details. The room dates to the 1770 expansion of the house.
Clues found in restoration suggested the paper was from around 1790, but not put up until around 1820, Connolly says.
“At that time, anything Chinese was fashionable, and to have a Chinese room would have been a great way of showing your wealth. There are no repetitions in the design, everything is different, and every detail has messages in it, about things like the social and economic status of the characters, so it will be incredible to see it in all its glory.”
Previously published on Chinadaily.com.cn